


Professional Bribery

by misura



Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Pre-Iron Man 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 18:21:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5343941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Mr Stark," she said, her tone implying she meant business.</p>
<p>"Miss Potts," he replied. "Please. If there's a wicked stepmother waiting for you at home, or if you desperately need to lose a shoe, then by all means, go. If not, would you like to dance?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Professional Bribery

"You know, I can't help but notice that's the seventh time you've looked at your watch during the last five minutes," Tony told her. "Car turning back into a pumpkin soon? Because if so, I - "

"Sixth," Pepper said.

"You keep count?" Tony grinned, and it was all 'oh, come on, Pep, just five more minutes'.

(It never was 'just five more minutes'. It always was 'I'm very sorry, sir, Mr Stark is going to have to reschedule - yes, he's a very busy man'.)

"Correctly, even," she said. "Imagine that."

"I'd rather imagine you - " Tony started and then he stopped himself, which might very well qualify as the smartest thing he'd said and/or done all evening. "Ahem. Rescheduling my morning meeting?"

"It's already been rescheduled."

"Oh, good. Then - "

"Twice."

Tony considered. "Have I ever mentioned how much I don't like morning meetings?"

"I don't believe you specified morning."

Tony considered some more. "I'm very clever sometimes. Honestly, I amaze myself. And, hey, if they didn't mind the first two times, they probably aren't going to yell at you too much if you do it again."

Pepper wondered if getting a drink would make things worse or better. About even odds, she decided.

"I'm just kidding, by the way," Tony went on. "I mean, people don't really yell at you just for rescheduling a meeting, do they? Because that would just be rude, and I'd like to think I've got better things to do with my time than sit down for meetings with rude people."

"Mr Stark," she said, her tone implying she meant business - 'you have a company to run, Tony, and I don't mean into the ground'.

"Miss Potts," he replied. "Please. If there's a wicked stepmother waiting for you at home, or if you desperately need to lose a shoe, then by all means, go. If not, would you like to dance?"

"Would you like to go home, after, so that you can get some sleep before your morning meeting?"

"A bribe? That hardly seems professional, does it?"

She gave him her best smile, the one that said, 'just because I love you, that doesn't mean I'm obliged to let you get away with, well, anything, really'. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you imagine you were acting like a professional? How could I have missed that?"

"I'm very subtle," Tony said. "Ask anyone."

"I did, actually. Sorry."

"You wound me deeply."

"Would you like to lie down for a while?"

"Tempting," he said. "C'mon, Pep, it's just a meeting. No need to reschedule, just get someone else to deal with it. Do it yourself; it's not as if you need me around to answer stupid questions. Or even intelligent ones."

Pepper shrugged. "No meeting, no dancing. Your choice."

"If that's how you negotiate, you _definitely_ should be doing this meeting."

"Oh well, I'm sure someone else wouldn't mind offering a lady a dance. And a drink or two, perhaps."

"I'm not the jealous type," Tony said. "However, I _am_ the most fun of everyone here, so really, I might as well tell you now that you're only going to get disappointed. On that happy note: which would you like first, a drink or a dance? Better make it quick, though; I need to be home early. Apparently, I have a curfew. And a really early morning meeting."

"Forget the drink. We both know what happens when you leave someone to go and get them a drink."


End file.
